SRHGKF1

Episode 1

PROLOGUE: The Chairman’s Niece has Returned

“It’s accumulated fatigue. That’s what happens when you spam heals without a break.”

I lowered my head weakly at the medical officer’s diagnosis.

A healer suffering from exhaustion? And not just any healer, but one from the Association’s First Team—a unit legendary for its top-tier treatment and perks.

“Haven’t your teammates been complaining lately? Saying the heals are lacking, or that they run out too quickly?”

“Hey, are you even keeping up with your physical training? Why is the heal output looking like this?”

“Yeon-hee, anyone would think you’re the only one doing overtime. We’re the ones actually out in the field.”

“You’re not even overusing your skills, but the consumption rate is different from usual. Go see the infirmary.”

I gave a small, weary reply, recalling the words I’d heard just this morning.

“I went.”

“That’s all because your physical condition is a mess. How on earth have you been managing yourself? You’re part of the First Team; you should have been more careful.”

It sounded more like a rebuke than a concern.

Hearing that made me wonder if I’d ever even had a moment to rest. Surely he knew that due to the healer shortage, I was covering several other teams in addition to the First Team.

“I’ll give you some fatigue recovery shots. Get some deep sleep, and keep up with your meds and diet. But don’t overeat and get sluggish. Even a slight discomfort on your part affects the whole team.”

I listened in silence and left the infirmary. Staring down the empty hallway, a hollow feeling settled in my chest.

‘Other teams come to pick up their healers when they hear they’re at the infirmary.’

Then, the memory of my teammates dressing up in their formal uniforms since morning flashed through my mind.

“…They’re busy.”

I felt a flicker of guilt for having such thoughts about people who were out there clearing dungeons while I was lagging behind.

“It’s just because I’m tired. I should go take my medicine.”

Coming to the infirmary after so long must have made me weak, not just in body but in spirit. Afraid that my petty resentment would only grow, I hurried my pace toward the exit.

“Did you hear the news? That person… they’re back!”

The moment I stepped out, I heard someone shouting excitedly. They weren’t the only one; I saw several people running around with flushed faces.

“What’s going on?”

Lately, Dungeon Syncs had been occurring frequently. The atmosphere at the Association had been grim due to these disasters that showed no mercy. Perhaps because I’d grown used to that heavy air, this sudden flutter of excitement felt foreign.

“Did the First Team finish a raid and return?”

If that was the reason, it made sense. People usually regained some vitality when news of a successful dungeon clear broke.

‘They’ll be looking for me soon.’

Forgetting about the medicine I was supposed to take, I naturally turned toward where the crowd was heading.

‘There they are.’

Spotted the First Team, I tried to push through the throng to reach them. It wasn’t easy; people weren’t moving out of the way, and the noise was so deafening that they wouldn’t hear me even if I called out.

I had no choice but to pull back and take a detour around the perimeter.

“Ha… huff.”

I finally escaped the crowd, catching my breath just as I reached the door to their waiting room. I was about to turn the handle when—

“Honestly, looking at that stifling heal output, I seriously doubt if she’s even a B-rank.”

A complaining voice drifted through the door, as if venting after a long day of hard work. The grievances didn’t stop there. Familiar voices began pouring out stories they had suppressed, almost as if they were competing to see who had endured more.

“Well, at least we have Park Ji-won now.”

The conversation, which seemed like it would never end, finally calmed down at the mention of a name that wasn’t mine. Unlike the tone they used to complain about me, the voice that spoke that name was tender.

The hand gripping the doorknob lost its strength.

Habits are terrifying things.

I couldn’t confront them about anything; I just turned around and walked away.

“Accompany you to the infirmary? You’re not a child. It’s a hassle, just go by yourself.”

“I just got back. I want to rest, so ask someone else.”

“You seem to be moving fine, so you can handle it. I’m busy, don’t talk to me.”

“…It’s difficult right now. It’s not urgent, right? Let’s just go in the morning.”

Past memories resurfaced unbidden.

At first, I comforted myself by thinking my requests were excessive or the timing was bad. Especially the part about asking someone to go to the infirmary with me—even I thought that was childish.

But the other requests had been unavoidable. Asking for help reaching something high up, asking someone to bring me medicine, or asking for an escort because it was late.

Healers were rare, and the Association tried to protect them accordingly. Walking around alone was often cause for a scolding. Even if it wasn’t about safety, as a member of the team, they were things I should have been able to ask.

But unlike me, who struggled to speak up, they had rejected me without a second thought. To them, I was a stranger. Not a teammate.

By the time I snapped out of it, I was in the lobby. The area was buzzing with the news that the Chairman’s niece had returned. Given my current state of mind, they were the last people I wanted to see, but…

‘They were definitely together.’

I had heard the name Park Ji-won. The one who was with the First Team, and the one everyone was waiting for—the Chairman’s niece.

“There she comes!”

The person next to me raised their voice. Soon after, my intuition proved correct.

The Chairman, the four members of the First Team, and in the center, standing tall, was Park Ji-won. Her class: Healer.

I knew it instinctively. The position of the First Team’s dedicated healer was no longer mine.

“Ms. Park Ji-won! You were caught in a Sacrifice-type Dungeon two years ago and hadn’t returned! What happened during that time?”

“It was announced back then that Hunter Yoon Ju-ha, not you, cleared that dungeon! Do you remember the internal circumstances?”

The number of reporters was staggering. They were all summoned by the Chairman. Even if it seemed like overkill, no one thought it was strange.

Park Ji-won was an A-rank healer. From the Chairman’s perspective, there was no reason not to blow this out of proportion.

“Did you evade your responsibilities as a healer due to excessive workload and pressure?”

“If you’ve returned from the dead, do you have proof?”

Some of the questions were invasive and uncomfortable. I watched Park Ji-won to see how she would respond.

Light brown hair, dark brown eyes, porcelain-white skin, and a dainty, straight nose. She looked so elegant it was hard to believe she had been a missing person in a dungeon. She looked like someone who wouldn’t—and shouldn’t—know the meaning of “accumulated fatigue.”

When a question clearly crossed the line, Jang Jeong-in, a member of the First Team, stepped forward to shield her.

“We aren’t taking rude questions. From now on, anyone asking about the accident two years ago will find it difficult to keep their lives.”

Was a public figure allowed to say such things to civilians? Regardless, the effect was immediate. The crowd fell silent instantly.

‘So you do know how to step up.’

It felt strange. I had no memory of being protected from reporters like that when I was a member of the team. A hollow laugh escaped me.

“Ms. Park Ji-won! We heard you’ve had your health and awakening rank re-measured! What is your status?”

It was a standard question. Only then did Jang Jeong-in step back.

“I know many people were waiting and worrying for me.”

When Park Ji-won spoke for the first time, her voice was clear and melodic. Everyone watched her as if spellbound.

“I haven’t fully recovered yet, but… I am pleased to inform you that my healer awakening and rank remain unchanged.”

“That means…!” someone gasped.

Park Ji-won smiled as if responding to the outcry.

“That’s right. I have maintained my A-rank status.”

At her definitive answer, a roar of cheers erupted. Everyone rejoiced at the reappearance of an A-rank healer. Until now, there were only three A-rank healers in South Korea, including Park Ji-won. The other two were in different guilds. Because of that, the Chairman used to throw fits, saying it was ridiculous that the Association didn’t have an A-rank healer.

‘With this, the Association is back to being an organization with an A-rank healer.’

Sure enough, the Chairman’s eyes were soft as he looked at his niece on the podium. It was the face of someone looking at a precious treasure rather than a relative.

“Thank you for your concern.”

The atmosphere was akin to an award ceremony. At the same time, the First Team members patted her on the back, telling her she did well. There was nothing inherently wrong with their actions. The problem was that to me—someone who was supposed to be their teammate—this warm atmosphere felt utterly alien.

Around that time, the Chairman stepped up to the microphone.

“Ahem, I have an urgent announcement.”

As the Chairman began, the reporters quickly pulled out their notebooks.

“I would like to take this opportunity to announce a change in the healer for the First Team, who has been at the forefront of dungeon raids. To ensure stable operations, Park Ji-won will now be the dedicated healer for the First Team. I swear on my name as Chairman that the instability we’ve seen in the past will never happen again.”

The reporters scribbled furiously while the onlookers cheered. It was a natural reaction; they were being told their livelihoods and homes would be better protected.

“The instability we’ve seen in the past.”

I was the only one who couldn’t smile, feeling like I was in a completely different world.

“Now that an A-rank healer has returned, can we expect news of additional members for the Tanker or Dealer positions?”

“What will happen to the existing B-rank healer?”

Questions poured in from the reporters. That was when Do Ju-yeon, who hadn’t left Park Ji-won’s side, stepped forward.

“We will have a Q&A session. Please wait your turn.”

A long period of questioning followed. Do Ju-yeon, who answered every question with utmost sincerity, eventually addressed the one about me.

“She is a grateful healer who has managed several teams. We plan to discuss things so she can exercise her abilities in a position that suits her better.”

It was a polished answer, but the meaning was clear: I was being kicked out to another team.

‘Even though he knows I’m standing right here…’

There was no way someone as sharp as him didn’t know. He was the one person in the First Team who had been somewhat kind. Because I had expected more from him, the disappointment was even greater.

I turned around and walked away from the festival-like scene. I felt someone’s gaze on me, but I didn’t stop.

“Since I’m B-rank, I’ll probably go to the Second or Third Team.”

I wouldn’t be thrown out entirely. Healers were precious resources, and even a B-rank couldn’t be ignored.

‘They’re just ignoring me now to give Park Ji-won all the momentum.’

The sheer audacity of it left me speechless.

“This is so embarrassing…”

Some people get told they have “accumulated fatigue”—a condition almost unheard of for healers—because they were healing so much. But what was more frustrating was that even knowing I was about to be ousted from the First Team, there was nothing I could do. I could only watch as Park Ji-won was crowned the ‘only’ healer of the First Team.

The fact that this event was organized without a single word to me, and the fact that I happened to walk into this mess while returning from the infirmary because I was unwell… Even knowing all this, there was nothing I could do immediately.

“This feels absolutely disgusting…”

Muttering to myself while running a hand through my hair, I suddenly came to a halt. Although I hadn’t heard a sound, a car was parked right in front of me. It hadn’t even honked; it was just sitting there silently.

My body instinctively went on guard. As I tried to back away, a door opened and a man stepped out.

“You’re Moon Yeon-hee, right?”

“…Who are you?”

I glanced back toward the main gate as I spoke. The place was crowded with outsiders allowed in for the press conference.

‘Anyone could slip in and no one would notice.’

How much more unhelpful could the Chairman be?

“You’re not planning to do something with all these people around, are you?”

“There won’t be any fuss if you just stay quiet.”

His voice was gentle, but his tone was stiff. The man, who exuded a contradictory aura, jerked his chin as if telling me to get in the car. No matter how distracted I was, I wasn’t about to follow a stranger’s orders.

‘Dark tinted windows, black suit.’

He looked suspicious from every angle.

“Are you crazy? You think I’ll just get in?”

The moment I tried to bolt after throwing that remark—

“It would have been better if you listened when I was being nice.”

“Let go of me!”

In an instant, my body was lifted off the ground. I screamed desperately, but the people outside were looking elsewhere.

“I’m not going to kill you, so don’t be a nuisance,” the man said as he threw me into the car and climbed in after me.

“Bind her.”

As soon as he spoke, I felt something wrapping around my hands and feet. It was chains.

“Let me go!”

“We’re going like this? Fine.”